Nissan-Renault chief says worldwide adoption of electric cars will be gradual process

May 13th, 2009 US firm unveils new battery tech for electric carsYOKOHAMA, Japan — A California-based company demonstrated a new battery-swapping technology Wednesday that could overcome a key obstacle to the adoption of electric cars — their reliance on frequent, long stops for recharging. Founded two years ago, Better Place unveiled a model of its battery switching station in this port city near Tokyo, seeking to garner enthusiasm for its one-of-a-kind technology among Japan's auto heavyweights, government officials and consumers.

June 4th, 2009 Toyota: hybrids best 'green' car for some timeTOYOTA, Japan — A Toyota executive overseeing research said Thursday a battery breakthrough is needed for electric vehicles to become mainstream, and hybrids will remain the best "green" car choice for some time. His comments came just hours after the Japan Automobile Dealers Association said Toyota's Prius hybrid was the No.

October 7th, 2009 Nissan's electric vehicle tilts into cornersATSUGI, Japan — Nissan's Land Glider electric vehicle tilts from side to side, sashaying into curves by up to a 17-degree angle, as though showing off in a fashion statement that it's zero-emissions. The wheel segments of the car can move separately from the cabin, allowing the car, still an experimental concept model, to sway and swerve, almost like a motorcycle.

October 6th, 2009 Toyota to show green sportscar with Subaru engineTOKYO — Besides showing off its well-known hybrids, Toyota will take a slightly different tack at the upcoming Tokyo Motor Show to display a green sportscar with a special kind of gasoline engine. The FT-86, inspired by a sporty Corolla model from the 1980s called AE86, has a Subaru engine from Toyota partner Fuji Heavy Industries, whose pistons are positioned horizontally, instead of vertically as in standard engines.

July 10th, 2009 CHENNAI - Tamil Nadu will soon get its first battery-powered car plant, and India its second, to be set up by electric vehicle manufacturer Bavina. According to a government statement Friday, Bavina Cars India has been allotted 100 acres in the special economic zone (SEZ) in Ranipet near here, promoted by the State Industries Promotion Corp of Tamil Nadu.

September 15th, 2009 Daimler bets on efficiency, shows electric, hybridFRANKFURT — Daimler AG unveiled a number of new electric and hybrid cars Tuesday at the Frankfurt Auto Show, saying it plans to keep its focus on luxury and fuel efficiency. The Stuttgart-based company presented the Mercedes-Benz Vision S 500 plug-in hybrid, a spinoff of the only existing production hybrid from a German carmaker on the market, the S 400 Hybrid.

April 22nd, 2009 Bright Automotive unveils 100 mpg hybrid truck NEW YORK — It sounds like a bright idea. Anderson, Ind.-based startup Bright Automotive on Tuesday unveiled the IDEA, a 100-mpg plug-in hybrid electric van that it is looking to sell to fleet customers such as businesses and government agencies.

August 11th, 2009 GM says Volt to get 230 miles per gallon in cityDETROIT — General Motors Corp. said Tuesday its Chevrolet Volt rechargeable electric car should get 230 miles per gallon of gasoline in city driving, more than four times the mileage of the current champion, the Toyota Prius.

October 31st, 2009 LONDON - A new project is aiming to use the cheapest hardware possible to build electric vehicles good enough for short commutes. "Let's use the cheapest hardware possible by making the smartest possible management software," Illah Nourbakhsh, leader of the Charge Car project at Carnegie Mellon University in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, told the New Scientist.

July 28th, 2009 Toyota global output, sales slide in January-JuneTOKYO — Toyota's global sales fell 26 percent in the first half of this year as the recession hit auto demand, but troubles at U.S. rival General Motors saw the Japanese automaker retain its world No.

June 11th, 2009 GM cancels Malibu hybrid, works on new systemDETROIT — General Motors says it is working on the next generation of its gas-electric mild hybrid system that will be more efficient than the one it is canceling in the Chevrolet Malibu and Saturn Aura. Company spokesman Terry Rhadigan says cars equipped with the current system weren't selling and inventory is backing up on dealer lots.

October 20th, 2008 We all are eager to see the day when we will have a steady and comprehensive alternative to petrol. And if there is no emission, there is no pollution too.

August 11th, 2009 GM says new Volt to get 230 mpg in city drivingWARREN, Michigan — General Motors Corp. said Tuesday its Chevrolet Volt rechargeable electric car should get 230 mpg in city driving, more than four times the current champion, the Toyota Prius.

August 11th, 2009 GM says new Volt could get 230 mpg in city drivingWARREN, Mich. — General Motors said Tuesday its Chevrolet Volt electric car could get 230 mpg in city driving, making it the first American vehicle to achieve triple-digit fuel economy if that figure is confirmed by federal regulators.

November 17th, 2009 more images more imagesFord Fusion named Motor Trend car of the yearDETROIT — The 2010 Ford Fusion was named Motor Trend magazine's car of the year Tuesday, beating out the Toyota Prius, BMW 7-Series, Chevrolet Camaro and others in the closely watched competition. It was yet another accolade for Ford Motor Co.'s midsize sedan, which got high reliability scores in the most recent rankings from Consumer Reports and was the top-selling car made by a Detroit automaker through October.